Toy cash register



`more' particularly ing the drawer in closed Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTHONY N. SMITH, 0F GIRARD,

yWORKS INC., OF GIRARD, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA TOY CASH REGISTER Application filed J'une 4,

' This invention relates to cash registers, and to a toy coin registering savings bank and cash register.

In toy cash registers, as in standard cash registers, it is desirable that the cash drawer benormally locked, and released only upon actuation of a suitable operating lever or key.

VIt is also desirable that upon actuation of this vkey the drawer be automatically moved at least partially out of the cash register, rather than that it be merely released. It is further desirable that an audible signal, such as the ringing of a bell, be produced, to signify that the cash drawei` has been opened. It is still further desirable that the cash drawer, when closed, be positively locked until further operation of the key.

The primary object of the present invenytion is to embody the foregoing desirable features in a structure which is exceedingly simple and economical of manufacture, which is operable without necessitating springs and like resilient means, and which fulfills each of the desired functions in a positive manner which is entirely foolproof and absolutely certain in operation.

More specifically, one object of the present invention is to provide a cash register having a cash drawer', detent means for lockposition, and means positively moved by the detent means into the path of the drawer for either or both of two functions, first, to push the drawer open, and second, to positively restore the detent means to locking position when the drawer is closed. Additional resilient means may be employed to open the drawer widely when the detent is released, the positive push on the drawer then operating to insure that t-he drawer will not stick in closed position.

Another specific object of the present invention is the provision of a bell and bell striker mechanism which also is positively actuated by movement imparted to the bell striker by movement of the detent means, thereby also necessitating no additional resilient means. f

;y A further object of the present invention is to improve coinv registering savings banks such as are disclosed 1n a copending appli- 1929. Serial No. 368,351.

cation of Stanley L. Connell, Serial No. 265,889, filed March 30, 1928, improvements on which have been set forth in a copendin application of my own, Serial No. 344,291, filed March 5, 1929. In the first mentioned application there is disclosed a coin registering savings bank having an inaccessible savings compartment and in addition a simple manually operated accessible cash drawer. The addition of this cash drawer is important in adding greatly to the play value of the toy, for it permits the user to take advantage of the cash register like appearance of the toy to use it for play, as well as for the actual deposit of savings. An object of my invention is to improve such coin registering savings banks and to enhance their resemblance to cash registers by making the cash drawer automatically operable through the medium of a key, accompanied by an audible signal, in the manner already outlined. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the cash Vregister elements and their relation one to the other as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the assembled coin registering savings bank and cash register;

Fig. 2 isa section taken in the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. l, showing the-operating mechanism of the cash drawer in elevation;

F ig. 3 is a fragmentary similar section showing the relation of the parts during the closing of the cash drawer; and

F ig. 4 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 4 4 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to F ig. l thereof, it will be observed that the coin registering cash register comprises generally a casing 2, a coin registering mechanism 4, a cash drawer 6, and an operating key 8 therefor.

The casing 2 is substantially similar to those described in the copending applications already referred to, and may be briefly described as simulating a cash register. It is PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE GIRARD MODEL Vpushing the Referring now more particularly to Figs.v

2, 3, and 4 of the drawing, it will be observed that the. cash drawer 6 is freely reciprocable in the lower portion of the cash register body, and, ifdesired, may be constantly urged outwards by resilient means, here represented by the simple leaf spring 14, tending to open the vdrawer ratherr widely. The drawer is locked in closed position by detent means in the form of the lever 16. There is additionally provided means generally designated by the-numeral 18, which is positively moved into the path of the drawer 6 when the detent lever is moved to unlocking position, thereby, drawerV 'at least partially open, and whichserves to positively restore the detent lever 16k into locking position when the drawer isclosed. The cash register is further provided with signal means, here exemplified by the bell 20, and signal actuating means22 for actuating the signal whenever the cash drawer is opened. The detent lever 16 is operated by a'key 8, which most V simply is formed integrally on theexposed `endofthe lever.

Considering thel arrangement more in detailit will lbe observed that the detent lever 16 is pivoted at 30 to a verticalwall or partition 32 whichis positioned intermediate the sidewalls of the cash register, and which preferably constitutes one side wall ofthe coinvregistering mechanism. The location of the pivot is such that'the lever 16 is Yunbalanced and always tends to lremain locking position, the permissible drop in this direction being determined by a guide 811, struck Y from the partition 82.V

. When it is desired to open the cash drawer the key 8 is depressed, thereby raising the inner end of the lever 16 from its locking position in engagement with the inner surfaces of the rear wall of the drawer 6, thereby releasing the drawer, and enabling the spring 14 to move it outwardly to a position suchas 6 indicatedY in dotted lines in Fig. 2. rlhe detent lever 16, in moving upwards, strikes a lug 36 on a combined bell striker and restoring arm 38. The resulting movement ofthe arm 88 causes a finger 10 carried thereby to move positively into the path of the cash drawer. lf, for some reason, the drawer tends to stick in position in spite of the Vspring 14,

the finger 40 pushes it outward and thus'per-1 .from ,falling vly a detent lever and the cash drawer. striker tend to return by gravity alone. Closposition, shouldV the gravity The spring mits the spring to come into play.

desirable to may be dispensed with, but is move widely open the drawer.

When the cash drawer is closed the rear wallr thereof first strikes the detent lever 16 and lifts it out'of the way, and thereafter strikes and moves the finger 40V toward the rear of the cash register, thereby causing the lu 36 to move downwardly against the detent 16. Should the detent lever 16 have remained in upward position', dueto friction or other cause, no harm results, for the cash drawer, through the restoring means 18 including the finger 40, the restoring arm 38, and the lug 36 thereon, will move the detent into locking position positively. The relation of the parts is so timed that the drawer 6 does notcausethe detent Vlever 16 to dehas passed the end of the detent lever. Simllarly, when the key is depressed, the finger 40 does not move the drawer 6 until after the detent'16 has released the drawer.

In order to obtain an audible indication of the opening of the cash drawer the arm 38 is extended to form a bell striker arm, and at the end of this arm a bell striker 22'is loosely mounted. A stop Vi2 is struck from the wall 82, and is so positioned that it stops the arm 38 when the key 8 is depressed, the stopping point being so kchosen that the striker 22 continues its swing by inertia and strikes the bell 2O with the desired smart impact.

In the modification here disclosed coins deposited in the coin chutes 10 are retained in a savings compartment, being prevented into the cash drawer byfa bottom wall 50. If it is desired to manufacture a toy cash register without thesavings bank feature it is merely necessary to omit some or all of the bottom wall 50, thereby enabling the coins, after registry, to Adrop directly into the cash drawer.

The construction, advantages, and mode of operation of the invention will, for the most part, be apparent from the foregoing description, but by way of review, it may bepointed out that the entire mechanism possesses a minimum of parts, comprising actually merea restoring arm. ,Only one spring is needed, and, if only a limited automatic opening of the drawer is desired, even this springV may be dispensed with. Depression of the operating key serves not' only to release the drawer, but also to positively urge it outwardly should it happen to stick, and in addition operates the signaly bell, and moves the restoring means into the path of Both the detent and the ing of the cash drawer returns the bell striker arm positively to its normal position, and restores the detent lever positively to locking n restoration fail to function. y

i lo

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in the preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, resilient means tending to open said drawer, a key controlled detent lever engaging the drawer in order to lock it in closed position, a signal bell, a bell striker arm, a bell striker loosely carried thereby, a stop for said arm, a lug on said arm arranged in the path of the detent lever when the key is depressed in order to move the arm against the Stop and cause the striker to ring the bell by inertia whenthe drawer is opened.

2. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, resilient means tending to open said drawer, a detent lever one end of which engages the rear wall of the drawer in order to lock it in closed position, said lever being so balanced that it tends to remain in locking position, a key mounted on the other end of said leverl for moving said lever out of locking position, a signal bell, a bell striker arm, a bell striker loosely oscillatably carried thereby, a lug on said arm arranged in the path of the detent lever when the key is depressed in order to ring the bell when the drawer is opened.

3. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, a lever having an operating key at one end and a detent at its other end engaging the drawer in order to look it in closed position, and an arm carrying a lug arranged in the path of the detent lever and a finger arranged in the path of the drawer.

4. A toy cash register' comprising a cash drawer, a detent lever engaging the drawer in order to lock it in closed position, an arm carrying a lug resting upon the detent lever and a finger arranged in the path of the l drawer for opening the drawer when the detent lever is moved to unlocking position and for positively restoring the detent lever to locking position when the drawer is closed.

5. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, light resilient means tending to open said drawer widely, a key controlled detent lever engaging the drawer in order to lock it in closed position, a restoring arm carrying a. lug resting upon the detent lever and a finger which is positively moved thereby into the path of the drawer when the drawer is opened, the nger being so disposed that Closing ot the drawer moves the detent lever positively to locking position.

6. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, a lever having an opening key at one end and a detent at the other end engaging the. drawer in order to lock it in closed position, an arm carrying a lug arranged in the path of the Idetent lever and a finger which is positively moved thereby into the path of the drawer in order to push lthe drawer open when the detent llever is moved by the key to unlocking position, the parts being sodisposed that yclosing of the drawer moves the detent lever positively to locking position.

7. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, detent means for locking the drawer in closed position, a signal, a signal actuating arm and restoring arm cooperating with the detent means and the drawer, the arrangement being such that movement of the detent means opens the drawer and actuates the signal, while closing of the drawer positively restores the detent means to locking position.

8. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, resilient means tending to open said drawer, a detent lever for locking the drawer in closed position, a bell, a combined ybell striker arm and restoring arm cooperating with the lever and the drawer, the arrangement being such that movement of the lever releases the drawer and causes the bell striker to ring the bell, while closing of the drawer returns the bell striker and positively restores the detent lever to locking position.

9. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, a key controlled detent lever for locking the drawer in closed position, a bell, "l

a combined bell striker arm and restoring arm cooperating with the lever and the drawer, the arrangement being such that depression of the key opens the drawer and causes the bell striker to ring the bell, while closing of the drawer returns the bell striker and restores the detent lever positively to locking position.

10. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer', a key controlled detent lever for locking the drawer in closed position, a bell, a combined bell striker arm and restoring arm cooperating with the lever and the drawer, the lever being so balanced as to tend to remain in locking position, the arm being So balanced as to tend to return from striking position, the arrangement being such that depression of the key opens the drawer and causes the bell striker to ring the bell, while closing of the drawer returns the bell striker and restores the detent lever positively to locking position.

l1. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, resilient means tending to open said drawer, a key controlled detent lever for:

locking the drawer in closed position, a bell, a combined bell striker arm and restoring arm carrying, first, a lug arranged in the path of the detent lever, second, a bell striker, and third, a linger arranged near the path of the cash drawer, the arrangement being such that depression of the key releases the drawer, causes the bell striker to ring the bell, and moves the finger into the path of the drawer while closing of the drawer returns the bell Ell-10 striker and restores the detentV lever toflooking position. Y

12. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, resilient means tending to open said drawer, a key controlled detent lever for locking the drawer in closed position, a bell, a combined bell striker arm and restoring arm carrying, first, a lug arranged in the path of the detent lever, second, a bell striker, and

' 10 third, a inger arranged near the path of the lcash drawer, the arrangement being such that depression of the key releases the drawer, pushes the drawer open, causes the bell striker to ring the bell, and moves the finger into the path ofthe drawer, while Closing of the drawerreturns the bell striker and restores the detent lever to looking position.

13. A toy cash register comprising a cash drawer, a key controlled detent lever for lock- :7-20 ing theV drawer in Closed position, `a bell, a

combined bell striker arm and restoring arm Vcarrying, first, a lug arranged in the path of the detent lever, second, a bell striker, and third, a finger arranged near the path of the cash drawer, the arrangement being such that depression of the key releases the drawer, causes ythe bell striker to ring the bell, and moves the finger positively into the path of the drawer, while closing of the drawer re- '30 turns the Vbell striker and restores the detent lever positively to looking position.

Signed at Girard, in the County vof Erie and State of Pennsylvania this 3l day lof vMay A. D. 1929. Y l as Y, ANTHONY N. SMITH.

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